Media device and method of enhancing use of media device

ABSTRACT

A method of enhancing the use of a media device and a media device are provided. The media device receives a broadcast media stream transmitted by a broadcast system, a service transmitted by a telecommunication system, the service being associated with a broadcast media stream and program guide information relating to a broadcast media stream. The media device is configured to detect when the service transmission comprises data corresponding to given search parameters and to record the broadcast media stream in a memory on the basis of the detection.

FIELD

The invention relates to a media device and enhancing use of a mediadevice. The invention relates particularly to media devices configuredto receive a broadcast media stream from a broadcast system.

BACKGROUND

Broadcasters, such as television and radio broadcasters, have takensteps forward to provide an audience with digital supplementaryservices, such as program information, news, weather information,competitions and other related contents, in addition to a traditionalmedia stream. The digital supplementary services are usually deliveredto the audience over the Internet using the audiences' personalcomputers or other media devices capable of connecting to the Internet.

More mobility is provided for the audience by media devices of cellulartelecommunication systems, which media devices are equipped with areceiver, such as an FM radio, for receiving media streams broadcast bybroadcasters. Broadcasters typically provide Internet services, whichcan be accessed by media devices, such as one equipped with a WAP(Wireless Application Protocol), capable of connecting to such aservice.

Mobile users receiving media streams usually have no prior knowledge ofthe contents of the media streams. Thus, interesting programs or programitems such as music tracks are easily missed. Broadcast media streamproviders may provide a service transmission associated with thebroadcast media stream which comprises information about the contents ofthe broadcast media stream. The information may comprise data about aprogram or program item being currently transmitted or the next programor program item to be transmitted. However, the service only providesthe user with visual information; the user must be viewing the servicetransmission in order to utilize the information.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to enhance the use of a media device byproviding an improved solution for monitoring program contents ofdifferent broadcast media streams. According to an aspect of theinvention, there is provided a method of enhancing use of a media deviceconfigured to receive a broadcast media stream transmitted by abroadcast system by the media device; the method comprising: receivingover a radio interface of a cellular telecommunication system a servicetransmission associated with the broadcast media stream, the servicetransmission comprising information about the contents of the broadcastmedia stream; detecting when the service transmission comprises datacorresponding to given search parameters; recording the broadcast mediastream on the basis of the detection.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a mediadevice comprising: a receiver configured to receive a broadcast mediastream transmitted by a broadcast system; a transceiver configured tocommunicate with a cellular telecommunication system and to receive aservice transmitted over a radio interface of the cellulartelecommunication system, the service being associated with at least onebroadcast media stream, and to receive program guide informationrelating to at least one broadcast media stream; a memory for storingdata; a processor connected to the receiver, transceiver and the memory,and configured to detect when the service transmission comprises datacorresponding to given search parameters and to record the broadcastmedia stream in the memory on the basis of the detection.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a method ofenhancing use of a media device configured to receive a broadcast mediastream transmitted by a broadcast system and to receive over a radiointerface of a cellular telecommunication system a service transmissionassociated with the broadcast media stream, the service transmissioncomprising information about the contents of the broadcast media stream;the method comprising: starting reception of a broadcast media streamand the associated service, initiating recording the broadcast mediastream; stopping the recording without saving if no command to continueis received from a user interface of the media device within apredetermined time period.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a mediadevice comprising: a receiver configured to receive a broadcast mediastream transmitted by a broadcast system; a transceiver configured tocommunicate with a cellular telecommunication system and to receive aservice transmitted over a radio interface of the cellulartelecommunication system, the service being associated with at least onebroadcast media stream, and to receive program guide informationrelating to at least one broadcast media stream; a memory for storingdata; a user interface; a processor connected to the receiver,transceiver, user interface and the memory, and configured to initiaterecording the broadcast media stream when starting reception of thebroadcast media stream and the associated service and to stop therecording without saving if no command to continue is received from theuser interface of the media device within a predetermined time period.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided acomputer program product encoding a computer program of instructions forexecuting a computer process for enhancing use of a media device, theprocess comprising: receiving over a radio interface of a cellulartelecommunication system a service transmission associated with abroadcast media stream, the service transmission comprising informationabout the contents of the broadcast media stream; detecting when theservice transmission comprises data corresponding to given searchparameters; recording the broadcast media stream on the basis of thedetection.

The invention provides several advantages. In an embodiment of theinvention, a media device may be configured to search a received servicetransmission for programs or program items according to given searchparameters and record programs or program items found for laterutilization. In an embodiment, also the service transmission isrecorded. The user may give search parameters to the device and storethe parameters for later use. Thus, the user is able to storeinteresting programs or program items even when not actively listeningto the broadcast stream. The starting and ending times of programs orprogram items are read from the service transmission and the recordingprocess is controlled completely automatically.

In an embodiment of the invention, the media device automatically startsrecording a broadcast media stream when the device tunes to a new mediastream channel. The recording process is terminated after apredetermined time without saving if the user does not indicate that theprocess should continue.

LIST OF DRAWINGS

In the following, the invention will be described in greater detail withreference to the embodiments and the accompanying drawings, in which

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a system in which embodiments of theinvention may be utilized;

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a media device; and

FIGS. 3 and 4 are flowcharts illustrating embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a simplified structure of a system inwhich embodiments of the invention may be utilized. The system comprisesa communication network 100 of a cellular telecommunications system, abroadcast system 102, and a media device 104 of the cellulartelecommunications system.

The cellular telecommunications system is based on, for example, a GSM(Global System for Mobile Communications) or UMTS (Universal MobileTelecommunications System). The radio interface used in thecommunication between the communication network and the media device maybe realised using WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access)technology, GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) or WLAN (Wireless LocalArea Network), or any other similar services offering solution. Thestructure and functions of cellular telecommunications systems are knownto a person skilled in the art, and not all network elements of thesystem are illustrated.

The communication network 100 provides the media device 104 withbi-directional communication services. The broadcast system 102 providesthe media device 104 with a media stream 122 using, for example, a radioor television broadcast.

The communication network 110 may represent the fixed infrastructure ofthe cellular telecommunication system. The communication network 110 maycomprise a core network (CN) 106 representing a radio-independent layerof the communication network 110, and at least one radio access network(RAN) 108. The core network 106 may include network elements ofdifferent generations of cellular telecommunications systems. The radioaccess network 108 provides the media device 104 with a radio interfaceusing a radio access technology. The media device thus has abi-directional radio connection 120 with the radio access network 108.

In the example shown in FIG. 1, the core network 106 is exemplified interms of GSM terminology using both circuit-switched and packet-switchednetwork elements. The packet-switched network elements are described interms of a GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) system, which providesthe media device 104 with access to external data networks over GSM andsupports standard protocols, such as TCP (Transmission Control Protocol)and IP (Internet Protocol). The invention is not, however, restricted tothe systems, division of systems, or protocols used in the systemdescribed in the examples, but can be applied to any cellulartelecommunications system.

A center 110 represents a mobile services switching center (MSC) and aserving GPRS support node (SGSN) enabling circuit-switched andpacket-switched signaling, respectively, in the cellulartelecommunications system.

A function of the serving GPRS support node 110 is to transmit packetsto and receive them from the media device 104 supporting packet-switchedtransmission. The serving GPRS support node 110 includes subscriberinformation and location information about the media device 104.

The core network 106 may also have a gateway unit 112 representing botha gateway mobile service switching center (GMSC) and a gateway GPRSsupport node (GGSN). The GMSC attends to the circuit-switchedconnections between the core network 106 and external networks (EXT) 114such as a public land mobile network (PLMN) or a public switchedtelephone network (PSTN), and the GGSN attends to the packet-switchedconnections between the core network 106 and external networks 114 suchas the Internet.

The center 100 controls the radio access network 108, which may compriseat least one base station controller (BSC) 116 controlling at least onebase station (BS) 118. The base station controller 116 may also becalled a radio network controller, and the base station 118 may becalled a node B.

The system of FIG. 1 further comprises a server 124 connected to thecommunication network 100 and the broadcast system 102 for providing themedia device 104 with a service associated with the media stream 122 byusing the radio interface of the cellular telecommunication system. Theserver 124 may be a computer, such as a personal computer or aworkstation with an interface to the communication network 100 and thebroadcast system 102. The physical location of the server 124 isirrelevant as far as required connections exist. The server 124 maycomprise a database 130. The 130. The database 130 may comprise computerfiles containing the service contents.

The server 124 may be connected to the center 110, the gateway unit 112,the radio access network 106, or other parts of the communicationnetwork 100. The server 124 may be connected to the communicationnetwork 100 via an external network 114. In an embodiment, the server124 communicates with the communication network 100 over the radiointerface of the cellular telecommunication system.

The media device 104 comprises a user terminal 126 for communicating inthe cellular telecommunication system using a radio interface providedby the base station 118. The media device 104 further comprises a mediareceiver 128, such as an FM receiver or a television receiver, forreceiving a media stream 122 provided by the broadcast system 102.

The base station 118 may communicate with the media device 104 usingGPRS, in which data is transferred in packets that contain address andcontrol data in addition to the actual content data. Several connectionsmay employ the same transmission channel simultaneously. This kind ofpacket switching method is suitable for data transmission where the datato be transmitted is generated in bursts. In such a case, it is notnecessary to allocate a data link for the entire duration oftransmission but only for the time it takes to transmit the packets.This reduces costs and saves capacity considerably during both theset-up and use of the communication network 100.

The server 124, for example, controls the content flow between the mediadevice 104 and the communication network 100. The server 124 may alsofacilitate a timed delivery of the contents of a service to the mediadevice 104.

The media stream 122 is broadcast by the broadcast system 102. The mediastream 122 may include, for example, a radio or television program, acommercial or an announcement. The media stream 122 may include speech,music, or pictures. The contents of the media stream 122, however, areirrelevant to the present solution. The media device is configured toreceive the broadcast media stream 122 with the media receiver 128.

The media device may be provided with a service which is associatedand/or synchronized with the broadcast media stream 122 transmitted bythe broadcast system. In general, the service may provide the user ofthe media device with visual information related to the contents of thebroadcast media stream 122. The service may be interactive. The servicemay include information about the music played at the moment, DJ'smessages to the listeners or the like. The signal may include any ofthese features alone or a combination thereof. The service may includeinformation about deliverable or purchasable objects related to themedia stream, such as ring tones, desktop wallpapers or logos.

The service may be provided to the media device 104 utilizing acommunication channel parallel to the broadcast channel used indelivering the media stream 122 to the user. This is called a parallelchannel operation. A logical address may be dedicated to the service 120so that the service 120 may be accessed by using the logical address ofa database 130 of the server 112. The contents of the service may varyas a function of time and possibly as a function of the contents of themedia stream 122. The service 120 provides a bit stream to the userequipment 110, the bit stream including information contents, such asgraphical information, text information, audio information, a computerprogram, Braille, vibration, or any combination thereof. In anembodiment, the contents of the service 120 are displayed on a displayof the user equipment 110.

A service provider is a party possessing rights for relevant digitalcontent of the service 120, a distribution system for providing themedia device 104 with the service 120, and possibly capability to billthe user for the service 120. The service provider's delivery system isresponsible for receiving and handling delivery requests and deliveringthe service 120 to the media device 104.

In the media device 104, the service provides an integrated userexperience, allowing the user to start both listening to a media stream122 and receiving the contents of the service relating to the mediastream 122. The operation of the media is based on two channels, thebroadcast channel and the parallel channel enabled by the cellulartelecommunication system.

In an embodiment, the service concept may be called a visual radio. Thebroadcast system broadcasts a radio transmission 122 received by themedia device 104. The DJ or announcer of the radio transmission mayadvertise the service realized with the parallel channel. The user ofthe media device may subscribe to the service by making contact with theserver and downloading suitable data which enables the user's mediadevice to receive the service. The data may be called associating dataand it may comprise information which provides a linkage between theservice and the media stream and which identifies the servicetransmission.

The associating data may include the following types of information: aradio service address, a service identification, an objectidentification, a radio broadcaster identification number, a programidentification number, a traffic announcement identification number, atraffic program identification number, a program item number, anemergency warning message, a music/speech indicator, a radio frequencyutilized by a media stream, a program service name, a program typeidentification number, and a country code.

In an embodiment, the system comprises a content creation unit (CCU) 132connected to the server 124 and the broadcast system 12 for providingcontents for the service. The content creation unit 132, which can alsobe called a visual radio tool in some applications, may be used tocreate service content presentation to be displayed on the media device104. The content creation unit 132 may be located in and integrated intothe broadcast system 102, or into the server 124.

The content creation unit 132 may allow a broadcast system to create avisual presentation and manage the content flow shown on the screen ofthe media device 104 in synchronization with the media stream 122.

The content creation unit 132 may also define timing to display thecontent of the service in the media device 104 in relation to abroadcast media stream timeline.

The service may include detailed information about the contents of thebroadcast transmission, such as data about programs or music tracksplayed in the transmission. The data may comprise names of programs,names of music tracks played in programs, music category of a musictrack, artists playing in a music track, and a name of an album in whicha music track may be found. The data may comprise starting and endingtimes of programs and each music track played in the programs.

FIG. 1 shows a broadcast system 102 and a server 124. In practice, theremay be several broadcast systems in the same area and each broadcastsystem may have a server of its own. The servers are connected to thecommunication network 100 in a manner similar to that in connection withthe server 124. In an embodiment, the server 124 may be connected toseveral broadcast systems. In another embodiment, the broadcast system102 may transmit several broadcast media streams.

With reference to FIG. 2, examine an example of a media device to whichembodiments of the invention can be applied. The media device comprisesa controller 200, typically implemented with a microprocessor, a signalprocessor or separate components and associated software. The controllercontrols the operation of the device, starts and executes applicationsand takes care of input/output functions required by the applications.The device further comprises a display 202. The display is typicallyconfigured to display graphics and text. The device may also comprise anaudio interface 204, which may be realized with a speaker or a headsetand a microphone, for example. The device may further comprise a keypad206 and a pointer device 208, such as a mouse, a track stick or atouch-pad. Depending on the type of the device, the type and number ofuser interface parts may vary.

The media device also comprises a communication unit 210 implementingthe functions of terminal equipment including speech and channel coders,modulators and RF parts. The device may also comprise an antenna 212connected to the communication unit. The device may also comprise abroadcast receiver 128 configured to receive broadcast transmissionssent by a broadcast system. The receiver 128 is a radio or a televisionreceiver, for example. The device may also comprise an antenna 214connected to the broadcast receiver 128. The device may also comprise asingle antenna connected both to the communication unit 210 and thebroadcast receiver 128. The device also typically comprises a memory 216for storing e.g. telephone numbers, communication parameters, broadcastreceiver parameters, calendar data and other user-specific data. Thememory may be realized with memory circuits or units or with detachablememory cards.

The media device is not restricted to the above example. The mediadevice may be a personal computer, a personal digital assistant,terminal equipment or any other device comprising required communicationfacilities.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment. In step 300, a mediadevice 104 is receiving a broadcast media stream transmitted by abroadcast system. The media device also receives a service transmissionassociated with the broadcast media stream. The service is transmittedover a radio interface of a cellular telecommunication system. Theservice transmission comprises information about the contents of thebroadcast media stream, such as data about programs or music tracksplayed in the transmission.

In step 302, search parameters are obtained. A user of the media devicemay start a search application configured to search the servicetransmission and the search application may further be configured toquery search parameters from the user. The functions of the searchapplication may also be integrated into another application, such as anapplication configured to receive and display the service transmission.The user may be given a query relating to the search parameters and theuser interface of the media device may be configured to receive theparameters. Previously stored search parameters may also be retrievedfrom memory and the user may be given an opportunity to edit theseparameters. The search parameters may comprise information about a nameof a program, name of a music track, style of a music track, artistperforming on a music track or names of albums in which a music track isincluded. Other parameters may also be defined.

In step 304, the media device 104 starts searching the servicetransmission. The searching may comprise monitoring or analyzing thereceived transmission for the selected search parameters.

In step 306, the search, or monitoring and analyzing continues. Thereceived digital bit stream may be analyzed and compared with the searchparameters. If no match is found and the search is not interrupted instep 308, the search continues. In step 308, if the search isinterrupted by the user, the process ends.

If a match is found, the process continues in step 310. In this step,the found program or music track which was detected during the search isidentified. The identifying may comprise detection of the starting andending times of a program or a music track. These times may be obtainedfrom the service transmission.

In step 312, the found program or music track is recorded. In anembodiment, also the service transmission is recorded simultaneously.The ongoing recording process may be indicated on a display of the mediadevice 104 with a suitable sign. The recorded material may be stored ina memory of the media device. After recording, the process continuesfrom step 304, that is, the search restarts.

The recorded programs or items are stored in a memory of the mediadevice for later viewing.

In an embodiment, the media device does not play the broadcast mediastream and the associated service using the display and speaker of themedia device during the searching and recording process. Thus, the useris able to store interesting programs or program items even when notactively listening to the broadcast stream.

In an embodiment, the media device plays the broadcast media stream andthe associated service also during the searching and recording process.

There may be situations wherein the starting and ending times of a musictrack may need modifying or adjusting in order to achieve an optimumrecording result.

The media device may analyze the broadcast media stream transmission tomodify the starting and ending times of a recording process. In anembodiment, the media device utilizes silence detection. The mediadevice detects silence before and after a music track and utilizes theinformation when controlling the duration of the recording process.

In many cases no silent periods exist between a DJ's speech and a musictrack following the speech. In an embodiment, the media device utilizesspectral analysis or frequency transformation techniques to detect thestarting and ending times of a music track. One typical frequencytransform is the Fourier transform. Also other transform methods may beused. The media device may have stored typical transformation results ofspeech and music transmissions. When a transmission of a music track tobe recorded is at hand, the media device may start analyzing thebroadcast media stream transmission by performing a frequency transformon the received transmission. The media device may compare the resultwith stored values and detect when speech ends and music starts. Thetiming of the recording process may be fine-tuned on the basis of theanalysis.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment with a flow chart.In step 400, the media device starts receiving a broadcast media streamand an associated service.

In step 402, the media device initiates automatic recording of thebroadcast media stream. The recording starts without any user action. Inan embodiment, also the associated service transmission is recordedsimultaneously. In an embodiment, an ongoing recording process isindicated on a display of the media device 104 with a suitable sign.Thus, the user is aware of the automatic recording process.

In step 404, the media device 104 checks whether the user has given acommand to continue and store the recording. If so, the recordingcontinues in step 406 and the recorded material is stored in a memory ofthe media device for later use. In an embodiment, the user is shown aquery on a display of the media device. The query may comprise a messageindicating that the recording process has been initiated, and a questionas to whether or not to continue/discontinue the process. The user mayrespond to the query with a simple action.

If no continue command is received yet, the media device checks in step408 whether a predetermined time period has elapsed since the recordingstarted. If so, the recording is stopped in step 410 without storing. Itis assumed that the user is not interested in the recorded material. Thepredetermined time period may be for example 5 minutes, or any othertime period set by the user.

If the time period has not elapsed yet, the process continues from step404.

In an embodiment, the invention is realized with a computer programdistribution medium readable by a computer and encoding a computerprogram of instructions for executing a computer process for enhancinguse of a media device. The process comprises: receiving over a radiointerface of a cellular telecommunication system a service transmissionassociated with the broadcast media stream, the service transmissioncomprising information about the contents of the broadcast media stream;detecting when the service transmission comprises data corresponding togiven search parameters and recording broadcast media stream on thebasis of the detection.

The distribution medium may comprise a computer readable medium, aprogram storage medium, a record medium, a computer readable memory, acomputer readable software distribution package, a computer readablesignal, a computer readable telecommunications signal, and a computerreadable compressed software package.

Even though the invention has been described above with reference to anexample according to the accompanying drawings, it is clear that theinvention is not restricted thereto but it can be modified in severalways within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed:
 1. A method comprising: receiving at a media device, abroadcast media stream via a broadcast system, and concurrentlyreceiving via a communication channel, at the media device, a servicetransmission comprising information about the contents of the broadcastmedia stream; detecting at the media device when the informationcomprises data corresponding to given one or more search parameters; anddetermining, independently from a user of the media device, to recordthe broadcast media stream at the media device on the basis of thedetection.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the service transmission isreceived at the media device over a radio interface of a cellulartelecommunication system.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:receiving the search parameters from a user of the media device;determining to store the search parameters in a memory of the mediadevice; and determining to activate a search application at the mediadevice to search the service transmission based on the searchparameters.
 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising: retrieving thesearch parameters from the memory of the media device; and editing thesearch parameters based on a user input.
 5. The method of claim 1,wherein the search parameters comprise parameters of a programtransmitted in the broadcast media stream or a music track played in aprogram.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the search parameters furthercomprise information about at least one of the following: name of aprogram; name of a music track; style of a music track; artistperforming in a music track; and names of albums in which a music trackis included.
 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determiningto start recording the program or a music track transmitted in thebroadcast media stream; and determining to store the recording in amemory of the media device.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein therecording is started without user input.
 9. The method of claim 1,further comprising: determining to indicate an ongoing recording processon a display of the media device.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein theindication includes a sign.
 11. An apparatus comprising: at least oneprocessor; and at least one memory including computer program code forone or more programs, the at least one memory and the computer programcode being configured to, with the at least one processor, cause theapparatus to perform at least the following, receive at a media device,a broadcast media stream via a broadcast system, and concurrentlyreceiving via a communication channel, at the media device, a servicetransmission comprising information about the contents of the broadcastmedia stream; detect at the media device when the information comprisesdata corresponding to given one or more search parameters; anddetermine, independently from a user of the media device, to record thebroadcast media stream at the media device on the basis of thedetection.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the servicetransmission is received at the media device over a radio interface of acellular telecommunication system.
 13. The apparatus of claim 11,wherein the apparatus is further caused to: receive the searchparameters from a user of the media device; determine to store thesearch parameters in a memory of the media device; and determine toactivate a search application at the media device to search the servicetransmission based on the search parameters.
 14. The apparatus of claim13, wherein the apparatus is further caused to: retrieve the searchparameters from the memory of the media device; and edit the searchparameters based on a user input.
 15. The apparatus of claim 11, whereinthe search parameters comprise parameters of a program transmitted inthe broadcast media stream or a music track played in a program.
 16. Theapparatus of claim 15, wherein the search parameters further compriseinformation about at least one of the following: name of a program; nameof a music track; style of a music track; artist performing in a musictrack; and names of albums in which a music track is included.
 17. Theapparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:determine to start recording the program or a music track transmitted inthe broadcast media stream; and determine to store the recording in amemory of the media device.
 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein therecording is started without user input.
 19. The apparatus of claim 11,wherein the apparatus is further caused to: determine to indicate anongoing recording process on a display of the media device.
 20. Themethod of claim 9, wherein the indication includes a sign.